Many have asked for another Indian Trail Walk-n-Talk… so here it is, this Sunday, July 6th.

One of Burien’s gems is the “Indian Trail”. This wandering, varied trail winds high above the shoreline strip of SW 172nd St. – the “Sunrise Trail” portion –  and from Three Tree Point northward, paralleling Maplewild Ave. SW along the “Sunset Trail”. It is said to be the remnant of a trail used long ago by the local Native American tribes as they traveled from the south end of Puget Sound to the north.

On Sunday, July 6, our monthly Walk-n-Talk starts cliff-high in the Gregory Heights neighborhood, winds down to the Point, then up to Maplewild, at the 16000 block. (We will then turn around and retrace our steps back down to the point, and back up the hill again.**) At one point along the way, there is a 180 degree view of Normandy Park, Des Moines, Redondo, Mt. Rainier, Tacoma, the islands of Puget Sound and the Olympic Mountains.

Read here about the Indian Trail Walk-n-Talk in June 2012.

Mt. Rainier, as see from the “Sunrise” portion of the Indian Trail.

  • Date: Sunday, July 6, 2014
  • Time: 2:00 meet-up. Walking starts at 2:15
  • Place: Meet at the corner of  SW 167th Place and 31st Ave. SW (NOT at Burien Town Square.)
    This is in the Gregory Heights neighborhood above Three Tree Point.
  • Distance: About 3 miles, round trip. The elevation change is about 300 feet.
  • Parking: There is parking on the street in the Gregory Heights neighborhood, near the starting point. Public parking along Maplewild is difficult to find. As always, please be respectful of private property when parking your car.
  • Difficulty: This is a beautiful walk, wooded in places, wide open in others… paved wide in places, a narrow dirt path in others. Please be advised that this trip has quite an elevation change going down the hill and then back up. The path is also quite rugged and irregular. Because of these factors, it’s a poor choice for those with health and mobility limitations, and the trail will not accommodate strollers for children.

**IF you do not want to walk back up the hill to the starting point, but would rather finish at the Maplewild end, we suggest that you tag team with a friend, leave the first car along Maplewild (or somewhere within walking distance), and then drive the second car to the starting point. At the end of the walk, you can go back and get the second car.

For further information, please contact Maureen Hoffmann at info@wabiburien.org

The sweeping view, in evening along the “Sunrise” portion of the Indian Trail. (click the photo for a larger view.)

Here’s a map of our Indian Trail route. Click it to see a larger view, then PLEASE PRINT A COPY AND BRING IT WITH YOU IF YOU’D LIKE TO HAVE A MAP. Thank you.